Volcanic totems rise in Naples, crafting a stone narrative from Mount Vesuvius

13 hours ago7 min read

A powerful new installation in Naples confronts the city's volatile foundations, assembling totemic forms from the region's native volcanic stone. Situated within sight of Mount Vesuvius, the work forges a direct dialogue with the forces that have both built and threatened this landscape for millennia.The artist utilizes lava rock not as a passive material, but as the central protagonist—a substance that is the very embodiment of geological turmoil and creation. These silent, gathered sentinels stand as markers of deep time, their stratified forms echoing the complex layers of Neapolitan history, where ancient ruins coexist with vibrant modern life.The use of locally quarried stone is a critical choice, rooting the installation's narrative in the specific ecology and peril of the Campania region. The raw, textured surfaces of the totems bear witness to immense heat and pressure, mirroring the resilience of a culture that lives in the shadow of a volcano.Art and vulcanology intersect here, continuing Italy's rich tradition of engaging with the natural world while addressing contemporary anxieties about climate and planetary power. In an age of environmental crisis, the arrangement serves as a poignant reminder of nature's ultimate authority. The sculptural landscape, whose layout may reflect the organic chaos of a city street or the solemn order of sacred ruins, invites viewers to contemplate the transient nature of human civilization against the vast, inexorable cycles of the Earth.

#featured

#sculpture

#installation

#volcanic stone

#Naples

#art

#landscape

#Tanat Ranieri

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